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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · stick · capital · fan · key · foot · racket · fork

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fork — in a road
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. key — in music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. foot — a measure
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com